A Taste of Meath at Oldbridge House

So this weekend I was fully immersed in Meath culture and society, from a massive charity barn dance in Cushinstown to my first ever visit to Oldbridge House. I have to admit it was my first time attending a barn dance and if that one is anything to go by it won’t be my last! Over 3000 people attended and there were cowboy hats galore on show. On Sunday, once we had recovered from all that dancing, we travelled up to Oldbridge House for the first ever Taste of Meath as part of the Boyne Valley Food Series.

Out and About at Oldbridge House

Cono Sur Food Blogger Competition

Cono Sur, Ireland’s premium Chilean wine brand, is launching a search to find the ultimate dish to match their Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir.

The G Counter, Galway City

Recently the boyfriend and I found ourselves at a wedding down in Athlone. It was one of those fabulous two day affairs which took place on a Friday meaning that we were halfway down the country and had a whole Sunday to spare. What to do, oh what to do, we thought. Sure the only answer was a quick nip down to Galway for the day since we were only an hour away.

We hadn’t had breakfast and were holding out for brunch in Galway. We decided on the G Counter as I had read good things about it from Warm & Snug & Fat. It was also on our route into the city and had ample parking so it was very handy. The G Counter is located beside the G Hotel but apparently they aren’t connected at all, even though the G logo is very similar. It is a bright, airy, almost industrial space and seemed a big hit with families as all the surrounding tables were packed out with the smallies. There was a decent sounding brunch menu which included all the usual suspects such as eggs benedict, waffles, pancakes and breakfast butties.

A visit to the Irish Maritime Festival 2014

Last Sunday was one of those days where we didn’t know whether we wanted to stay at home and laze about or head out into the wild. In the end the sun made a break from the clouds and our decision was made for us. So off we popped to the Irish Maritime Festival in Drogheda for a few hours where there were tall ships and water sports on display.

Campo Viejo Tapas Trail: Dublin 2014

I always feel like summer has well and truly kicked off when it is time for the Campo Viejo Tapas Trail. I have been on every single trail since it started and it is still as much fun as it was the first time around. This year we kicked off in The Market Bar which by the way does a fab early bird of 2 tapas and a glass of wine/beer for €14. It is a big cavernous space where the only noise is the sound of people enjoying catching up over good food. We started the journey with a glass of Campo Viejo Cava and bowls of patatas bravas, piri piri chicken and goats cheese crostini. I could eat those patatas bravas all day!

Taste of Dublin 2014: A Quick Recap

So I meant to write this review on Friday knowing that I would be busy over the weekend but Thursday night at Taste of Dublin got the better of me. At 31 I should know better but we had a super night! Thursday felt like the start of summer and the Iveagh Gardens were packed for the first session of Taste of Dublin. After a glass of champagne, Ms Jenkinson and I executed our plan of action which was basically to sample as many different dishes as possible!

To start off we hit Salt of the Earth and sampled their Scallop Hot Dog with Asian slaw, beetroot chips and aioli.

Dingle is crowned Ireland's Top Foodie Town

Photo from www.dingle-peninsula.ie

Dingle has been crowned Top Foodie Town of Ireland from a shortlist of ten finalists.  The winner was announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards on the 9th of June that took place in the DoubleTree by Hilton.  This first year of the annual competition was run by The Restaurants Association of Ireland in conjunction with Admailer from An Post.

The ‘Foodie Town of Ireland’ award recognised Dingle for actively promoting itself through joint activities such as food festivals, gourmet trails and farmers’ markets as well as great dining experiences. It was noted that Dingle goes above and beyond to give their tourists the best foodie experience.  They have a well-established local producer/supplier network which is utilised and promoted by local businesses. They also actively plan for future growth and investment in the food and hospitality industry at a local level.  Education, training, development and employment are key components of the ultimate foodie destination, which is  seen in abundance in Dingle.    

Food and Beer Pairing at Brú Brewery

I’ll admit it. I’m a wine drinker by nature. In my twenties I would never have chosen beer over wine. This is probably down to the fact that I found most of the beer on offer too heavy, too fizzy or just plain disgusting. Then I went to Brussels and was shown the error of my ways! On my return I started to seek out what Ireland had to offer and bang on time too since we are now in the midst of a craft beer revolution. 

So I am slowly getting to know my Irish craft beer brands and discovering how well they go with food. I also recently discovered that one brand, Brú Beers, even comes from my adopted home county of Meath! As part of the Boyne Valley Food Series the guys in Brú Brewery put on a food and beer pairing night to demonstrate how well their range of beers went with food, all of which was local too. 

Boyne Valley Food Series: June Events

The Boyne Valley Food Series aims to highlight Meath and Louth's rich selection of artisan producers, small food businesses and restaurants over five months from May till September. The food series kicked off in May with a great array of events. I attended both the Bru Brewery tour and the Sheridan's Food Festival and had a fantastic time at both. I learnt so much and got to meet the people behind all the small businesses and artisan products. 

June Food Festivals & Events

It's the weekend again already!  Short working weeks are the best! To get you in the weekend mood here is a list of events taking place over the next few weeks. June is always a great month for festivals and events so there is loads happening and hopefully something of interest for everyone.